Vehicle signal



E. JONES VEHICLE S IGNAL Dec'. 3o, 1930.

Filed June 15, 1925 iti Patented Dec. 30, 1930 i STA i EvnnE'rT JoNEs, or LEBANON, INDIANA. Y

'VEHICLE SIGNAL s Application `led .Tune 15, 1925. Serial No. 33,373.

This invention relates toI improvements in vehicle signals. e primary object of this invention is the provision of an electrically operated vehicle e signal, which may be used in connection with vehicle operation to signal in accurate manv lierl thecontemplated -movement of the ve- A further object of this invention is the i@ provision of a relatively simple and compact type of electrically operated vehicle signal, which embodies novel features of switch operation, by means of which the same may eminently signal for stopping, right turns, left turns, and be normally maintained in an operative position and out of signalling position.

@ther objects .and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description. l

ln the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view taken thru the limproved vehicle signal, showing the same in aninoperative position.

,Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view` taken thru the vehicle signal substantially onthe line 2-2 of Figure 1.'

Figure 3 is a fra entary cross sectional view taken substant1ally onwthe line 3-3 of Figure 1, although showing a dierent operating position of parts than that illus` trated in Figure 1.

Figure 4 isl a fragmentary end elevation of the signalling arm of the vehicle signal. Figure 5 is ,a rear elevation of the vehicle signa showing the attachment of the same to a vehicle.` A .Y Figure 6 is a diagrammatic representation of the switch and other operating features of the invention. 1n the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown onlya preferred embodiment of this invention, the letter A may generally designate the vehicle signal, adapted for attachment upon a vehicle B. The vehicle signal A may comprise a casing C; motor D; semaphorevE; and means F betant tween the motor moving the latter; the novel circuit maker and breaker D and .semaphore E forl means F including means to control the effectiveness of the motor D in thel operation of the semaphore E, for predetermined signalling.

The casing C is preferably formed to providea front wall 11; rear wall 12; bottom wall 13; top wall L,14; inner side wall 14;

and a. detachable cover plate 15 forming the opposite or outsid e side wall. r1`he casing is vertically elongated, providing the compartment 17 therein, within which the motor D 1s supported by means of a bracket 20 at tached as at 21 to the facing'side wall 14a,

so that the shaft 22 of the motor extends at an acute angle to being positioned the vertical; the motor D between the top and bottom walls, substantially midway in the compartment.

In the lower portion of the compartment Worm29 keyed on the lower end of the motor shaft 22. The worin and worm gear 28 and 29 preferably illustrated in the the casing C may Vtain the oil, as is the drawings.

drawings, and to this end be suitably formed to reillustrated in Figure 2 of Upwardly in the casing compartment 17,

brackets 30 support a horizontal shaft 31,

and keyed on this shaft 31 is a cylinder 33 of linsulation material, which is an imporpart of the circuit maker and breaker arrangement to be subsequently described.

The shaft 31 is hollow, and at the end of the same is spaced from the rear wall 11, and

there is provided disc 35 rigid with the shaft 31, an pin 36 eccentric upon the disc 35 with a crank com rising a a crank with respect to the axis of the shaft 31.

e means F also includes a crank for the shaft 26, which comprises a disc Se havmg a crank pin 39 eccentric thereon. A connecting rod or link 40 is fiXedly connected between the crank tion of theshaft 3 pins 36 and 39, for opera- 1 b v rreason of operation of operate in an oil bath, as is the shaft 26 by the motor D. An 'mportant feature of the invention is the fa the throw of the crank of the shaft 26 is less than the throw of the crank of the shaft 31, so that by reason of the connecting means F, incident to revolution of the shaft 26, the, shaft 31and its drum 33 .will only be osci1-.

lated thru an arc of substantially 135. Thus, for each revolution of the shaft 26,`the means F will cause an arcuate movement of ily be understood.

The semaphore E is preferably of'tubular" material, and includes the tubular caslng.

4 5, which lat 'one end thereof is provided with means 46 vto key the same to the shaft 31, which extends laterally thru the real.'l

wall 12 ofthe casing C. The tubular casing 45 at its free end is substantially ring shaped, for detachably receiving opposltely disposed cncavo-convex lenses 48 and 49, which are spaced to provide a bolt receiving compartment'. 50 within which the electric light bulb or lamp 51 is disposed. The casing 45 of the semaphore E is. provided with a tube 52 therethrough, which receives the conducting wire 53 leadin from the bulb 51 towrds the pivoted end o theI arm, and then thru the tubular shaft 31, for connection to the segmental contact 111 carried by the in` sulation cylinder 33, v,

In connection with the circuit maker and breaker means associated wlth operationV of the vehicle signal, a Vdetachable bracket 60 is provided for supporting an insulation termlnal screw support 61 in the housing com- `part'ment 17, just below the insulation cylinder 33; this insulation block 61 being provided with an upstanding portion 62 which adjustably receives three horizontally positioned terminal screws 64, 65 and 66. These terminal screws 64, 65 and 66 are provided with lock nuts 68 to hold them in a/ desired adjlstment, and the ends .of said terminal,

screws provide contact pointsfor cooperation against the contact lugs 70 of spring arms or cortacts 71, 72, and 73, with which the screws 64, 65 and 66 respectively areassociated.` Thespring arms 71, 72, and 73 are connected by means of screws or bolts 75 to the insulation block 61', a conducting strip 77 being provided for-receiving the flexible spring arms 71, 72 and 73 thereagainst, to place them ina conducting relation for a pur ose which will subsequently be f d escri ed. yIt is to be noted that these flexible arms are lnot grounded .on thecasing C, and

lthat their up er endsy 80 are arcuated, for

cooperation wlth contact lugs 55, 56, and 57 of the insulation cylinder 33. s

VThe semaphore E when inoperative is positioned within a' vertically disposed casing 83 whichis provided therefor at the rear wall of thepasing C,- one side ,ofwhich is open to permit` the swinging'of the semahat s'ume the positions illustrated in Figure 5 of 82, which is pivoted at 8.9. Ifrit is desired to signal a left turn, the armv88l is moved tothe contact 90 and thecurrent flows. therethrough into the wire 91, and into the termi nal screw 65. As thetendency of thecontact arm 72 isto force its --contact 'lug againstthe end of the screw 6.5, the current will pass from the terminal screw 651into the contact Iarm 72, and then thru the `Lconductorstrip 77 by way of a w1re, .92 into .themotor-D. This sets vthe mtor D{in.operation, andthe phore E to an angle of about 135, to asl the drawings. The casing C may be mounted dash of the vehicle B, as illustrated in shaft 26 will -start to revolve,caus1ng an oscillationofthe shaft 31.5/The shaft.;31

moves through an arcA ofabout r90", from the off position. of the vehilefsignal A, and

casing 83, to the positionfillustrated'by the dot and dash lines in Figui-e 45f ofthe drawings, and at thi'spoint the contact lug 56 0fthe insulation cylinder rider-into engagement with thegspring arm 72,`atits free the circuit thru the-, motor,causing the Amo# tor to stop, and then semaphore willffthus .-be; 1n an elevated position to-.signal-to -traliclthat the driver ,contemplates a leftf hand turn of the vehicle. ,Y Frictinal resistance of parts is sufficient to maintain Ythe semaphoreI E inthe elevated position towhichraised,

leads to the centrally-positioned-terminal screw 66, and the.cireuitf.sconveyedthru this` screw 66, andthrurtheifccntat in o the motor D, causing the lattenifrotate;

an the semaphore, alim E f-,is ,thenfoscirllated tact lug 5,7 of rthe insulationcylinder will move into engagement with the-exible-coll: 5 vtact arm .7 3, forcingfthe same' -t o 'f lexjgcfand-- move out of conductingengagemenjt with the terminalscrew 66, and .break lthe. circuit 131111114 be. positionedinits. casingrf;

. end 80, causing,thesame-'to'-1ex oui'7vfardly,l to -move its contact lug 70away .fromthe terminal screw 65, an,dwl1 ic h of course breaks.

When it is desired tollovver the, signal arm or semaphore E, the foperatorf lllovcsthey switch arm 8s to the--ffaf1baaon96janathis bridges the circuit from thebatteryl85 thru; the arm 88 into a-conduetor wire 97 ,which until the same approaches .casing 83,'and.

as the same moves into the casing 83-'thevcone- To signal a right hand turn of the vehicle the operator moves the switch ar'm 88 to the right contact 100 of the switch 82, and this causes the current to flow thru a conductor 101 to the third terminal screw 64, and as its spring arm 71` engages" the said terminal screw, the motor D willbe set in operation, as can readily be understood, and the semaphoreE will be elevated until the contact lug rides into engagement with the contact arm 71, causing the latter to flex and move out of conducting engagement with the terminal screw 64, breaking the circuit thru the motor D, and-,holdingthe semaphore ,arm E in its elevated position illustrated in Figure 5, to signal a right hand turn of the vehicle. To. returnthe semaphore arm E to an inoperative positionthe operator needs only to move the switch arm 88 to the ol contact 96,'and thesemaphore arm E will be returnedv to its casing 83, as above described.

To signal a contemplated stop of the vehicle, a novel circuit maker and breaker arrangement has been provided, whereb continuously cause the semaphore arm oscillate, at a predetermined time, by simultaneously placing the battery 85 in conducting relationv with al1 of th'e conductor wires 91, .97 and 101 at 'the same time. To this end, conductor strips 102, 103 and 104 are placed respectively in conducting relation with the circuit wires 91, 97 and 1.01, and which arms or ieces 102, 103 and 104 engage against a rol er 105, which may be' suitab connected to the brake pedal 106 of the ve icle B, :forY

oscillation ormovement thereof. The cylinder 105 may beof insulation, but it is rovided with a contact strip 107, which w enever the brake 106 is pushed to,` apply the. brakes of the vehicle, will move into short circuiting engagement ywith all of the contact pieces 102, 103 and 104, causing the current toow fromv the battery 85 thru the 110; the latter being switch structure 82, in its oi position, and thru all of the terminal screws 64, and 66, for a continuous operation of the motor D, until the brake pedal 106 is released. This signals to the traliic in the rear a contem plated stop. r A

From the foregoing description of this invention it is a parent that anovel t of vehicle signal llas been electrically operated, and which may be easily operated to signal any of the approved signallin operationsto inform trailic of contemplate. movementsand-stops.

The bulb 51 is illuminated upon elevation of the arm E from its casing 83 by reason of riding of the segment 111 of the cylinder 33 into engagement with the contact -arm connectedto the battery 85 by the conductor 112.

Various changes in the shape size, 'and arrangement of parts maybe made to the form ovided, which isI of4 invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claim.

I claim:

In a vehicle signal the combination of an elongated casing, a motor supported in the casing, substantially midway of the ends thereof, a shaft transverse to the motor rotatably carried at one end ofthe casing adjacent to an end of the motor, means connecting said shaft with the motor for rotation thereof, a second shaft transverse to the motor carried by the casing beyond the opposite end of the motor from the first shaft, a signal semaphore carried by the second shaft, and means connecting said shafts whereby the semaphore carrying shaft will be oscillated upon rotation of the first mentioned shaft.

, EVERETT JONES.

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